Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss, and other officials recently took part in the just-concluded China-Latin America and Caribbean Business Summit in China.
The meeting was held in Changsha in Hunan Province from September 12 to 13. Also attending that meeting from Barbados was Chairman of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC), Benson Straker.
Under the theme: Greater Cooperative Potential, Greater Interests Convergence, the meeting focused on a range of issues, such as information technology, agriculture and infrastructural development.
Mr. Inniss, along with ministers from Latin America and business executives from China and Brazil, participated in a panel discussion which zeroed in on new opportunities between China, Latin America and the Caribbean.
During the discussion, the Commerce Minister emphasised the need to ???trade not only in products and commodities, but also to develop strategies for trading in services, including financial services, tourism and cultural exchanges, all of which are of particular relevance to the Caribbean???.
Apart from his involvement in that discussion, Mr. Inniss also chaired a session which focused on issues affecting the Caribbean.??During the visit, the BIDC???s chairman signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of his agency with China???s Council for the Promotion of International Trade ??? that country???s main agency responsible for developing trading relations and furthering cooperation in that area with Barbados.
The delegation also met with private and public sector representatives in Tianjin on September 15, to discuss a proposal to establish a Caribbean Trade, Tourism and Investment Centre, to strengthen trade in Caribbean and Chinese goods and services.
In 2013, officials from Tianjin visited Barbados and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry.??Mr. Inniss also met with Ambassador of Barbados to China, Dr. Chelston Brathwaite, and they held talks on ongoing initiatives to strengthen cooperation between Barbados and China in the areas of trade, international business and small business development.
julie.carrington@barbados.gov.bb